I just read and loved a book I NEVER would have chosen except that BOTH my parents read it and liked it:
Death Match, by Lincoln Child(photo from Amazon.com)
The cover does not appeal to me, nor does the title, and also I think more than 95% of the books I read are by women because I generally don’t identify with either the writing style or the subject matter of male authors. I would not have even picked this book up to skim the inner flap, is what I am telling you.
Furthermore, the book has flaws. There is a time or two when the protagonist does something and I think, “It is 100% clear he should be doing something different, so this is obviously just a way for the author to give us information he wants us to have and/or force the plot into a particular shape.” And there are some other places where, afterward or at the time, I thought, “But why would they….?” and “But wouldn’t they…?” and “Wait, but if it was the night before, the child would have been…” and “Surely any sensible person would have realized that the information could have been…?” and “But couldn’t he have just NOT set it up that way?” and “Well, and it would have to cost WAY MORE than that.”
But WHATEVER, because the PREMISE is one of the most lock-on fascinating ones I’ve heard of in a long time. And you might THINK I am spoiling it when I tell you the plot, but I am not: I will tell you what my mother told me when I thought SHE was spoiling it, but then when I read the book I thought no, she wasn’t.
The premise is that there is a dating service that has a 100% success rate: it costs $25,000 PER PERSON to join, but there’s a full money-back guarantee and no one has ever used it—or even needed to be matched a second time because the first one didn’t work out. (The cynical reader might notice that every single person who uses this agency is not only attractive and intelligent and emotionally/mentally-well-balanced, but also marvelously multi-talented, and with many interesting interests. We will not spend too much time, however, wondering about couples who are kind of dim and dull; we will just assume they didn’t make for as good reading.) Matched couples are remarkably, blissfully happy. As one or two of the employees at the agency says, people left on their own choose each other for the wrong reasons and eliminate potential partners for the wrong reasons; the agency matches people who at first think the match was a total mistake, and then within minutes see the perfection of it.
Then the couples start committing joint suicide, and a psychologist/detective is called in to find out what is going on. The book is not only his attempt to figure things out, but also lots of interesting discussion about how the agency works, and the tests they use to establish compatibility.
***SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO BE PREPARED FOR UPSETTING SCENES INVOLVING CHILDREN***
The opening scene is a little traumatic, because a small child (old enough to sit in a high chair, not old enough to speak) has SEEN her parents kill themselves. But we don’t join the scene until it’s over (we just figure out that she would have had to have seen it), and the child is safe and unharmed and of course too young to really know what’s happened. In another scene, it is mentioned that one of the women who committed suicide was pregnant.
***END SLIGHT SPOILERS***
A potential downside of this book is you may find yourself looking sideways at your significant other, wondering if you chose him/her for the wrong reasons and if you are not in fact particularly compatible. One character in the book says that even though he’s had a long and happy marriage with his wife, he would have cut off his own arm to have a relationship like the one he’s seen of a couple matched by the dating service. Food for thought, and not necessarily a meal that sits well. But it has been a long time since I had to take a book to another room because I HAD to keep reading it and couldn’t tolerate any distractions at all.
That sounds really good! I just added it to my library request list. Thanks for the recommendation!
I’ve read all of the Preston/Child novels, and while some are definitely more entertaining than others, I still find myself reading each and every one. Even though the plots can be TOTALLY RIDIC. Inexplicably, I especially like their Pendergast novels. I just find that character oddly soothing.
I would not pick up this book either– would not even give it a second glance– for all of the exact reasons you mention. However, I have to admit it sounds very interesting. I like books with a psychology slant, too.
That sounds SO interesting. I am adding it to my list of Books to Read because you have thoroughly piqued my interest.
I think that book would make me examine my rlationship with my husband way too much. And that is something I’m not brave enough to do at the moment. It does sound incredibly interesting though!
I really enjoy Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston books I love their easy blend of mystery and fantasy but I’ve never read one by Lincoln Child alone. Sounds exciting and I think I’ll have to grab this one :)
WTH! I though that the title said Death Ma*r*ch and the picture of the cover in my reader looked like mountains. I think its time to go back to bed. Oh wait. I have children to watch. Anyway, it sounds interesting! :)
Like Tess, I’ve read all the Child/Preston books and I love Pendergast. I added this to my list – thanks!
I like books by him and by him and Preston. I classify them as good ‘dumb fiction’. Fast paced plot, some new ideas, a few twists, then a happy ending. There are always holes and illogical parts, but as long as you don’t linger on them, the book is enjoyable.
If you want something a bit better thought out try something by Neal Stephenson. Cobwebbed, Interface, or–my favourite–Snow Crash are all good, smart fiction (but no less enjoyable than dumb fiction).
I probably shouldn’t admit this as a former librarian, but I would never pick up a book by someone named Lincoln Child. Lincoln! Child! What an awful name. Maybe because I lived in a city named Lincoln once, and was unfortunate enough to know of a couple who named their child Lincoln (after they moved) and then they unexpectedly moved back to Lincoln, with Lincoln.
Wow, that was a lot of Lincolns. Anyhow: yes, even though his name is Lincoln Child, the cover is atrocious, and I am not fond of male writers either, your review totally piqued my interest. Am going to check it out.
ok adding to my library/amazon wish list. Thanks!
I would never pick up that book based on the title and cover BUT it does sound like a very interesting premise!
I have read this…as well as all of the other Preston/Child combo books, and Preston and Child solo. Child is better than Preston solo, FYI. I really liked this one.
Read it. It was fun. Interesting what you said about male writers. I would say I read male and female writers about equally, but now I’m going to have to go on Goodreads and figure out if I’m right.
that looks like exactly the sort of book that i would THINK that i would hate, because while i love mysteries i do have, you know, STANDARDS…but then i’d probably read it, anyway.
I’d recommend Matched by Ally Condie. It’s a dystopian fiction instead of crime fiction, but similar. You may enjoy it as I did.
Oooh. I saw the book cover and pretty much just rolled my eyes. But then I read your review and I MUST READ IT. Already requested it from the library.
That also looks exactly like a book that I would never give a second glance either – but the premise sounds really interesting (Look, I’m such an original commenter!) so I will have to get past the glaring “walk away” alarms the cover is sending me.
I enjoy the Preston-Child books, too (the first three Pendergasts in particular), but I’d disagree with bunnyslippers that they’re dumb fiction — their often complex science and history research is thorough — and, most especially, that they have happy endings. While the villain might be identified, he or she is not always brought to justice, and the good guys don’t always survive.
Thanks for another book to add to my list of “books to read this summer”!
Although I agree about the horrid cover, I must admit that, now that I think about it, I read almost exclusively male authors… I find the female authors I’ve tried are too…something. Wow, that’s helpful and insightful, isn’t it? I don’t know, male writers seem more dynamic, more to the point, less sappy (that said, I read many Patricia Cornwell books till she went weird – present tense! Gah! – and still like Kathy Reichs). My favourite authors are Harlan Coben/Michael Connelly/Jonathon Kellerman for thrillers, Jonathan Coe/Jasper Fforde/Will Self for slightly surreal and/or funny British novels, Bill Bryson for travel writing and Carl Hiaason for funny American novels. I’ve tried 3 Jodi Piccoult and hated two (don’t even remember the titles) but did enjoy 19 Minutes, even though it left me devastated and sobbing…
I just requested the book from my library, thanks for the tip! My library has a version with a different (better) cover. Isn’t it amazing how much we all DO judge a book by its cover?
Leslie,
I didn’t mean it that way! I like them and what I meant by ‘dumb’ is that they are the sort of books you don’t have to brace yourself to read. They are fun, plot-driven books that you can read and follow even if you’re tired. I read almost all of the books by these guys! I am *very* sorry if it offended anyone. Please replace ‘dumb’ with ‘consumable’.
That said, the science isn’t stellar (as a scientist), so in my mind the inaccurate parts are mentally categorized with plot holes.
I’m library patron 1 on the waiting list for this book now. I’m actually excited about the look at why I chose my spouse. Especially because my husband was probably T minus 2 years away from an arranged marriage when I met him :)
No offense taken, bunnyslippers! We have agreed to disagree without bringing Nazis into it. (As a historian-geologist, that research is pretty thorough!)
I just finished this book, too. I picked it up from a used book vendor because I’m a fan of LC and Douglas Preston. It’s fun, fast fiction that doesn’t try to bog you down when you want a light read. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I am on a tear to read several books, and I’ve chosen some Child(ish) books to throw in as a kind of brain-reward or brain-vacation!